Unconventional Love
by its-always-alovestory
Summary: A Quintis fic, based on the events succeeding Walter's hospital visit after the car crash. This is quite a deep but sometimes fluffy and sometimes sexy story which reflects on Toby and Happy's feelings for each other and how their relationship plays out in the weeks and months after the events of the season finale. Eventually canon. Multi-chapter story updated regularly. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N Not my first fanfic, but my first Scorpion fanfic since joining the fandom. Please enjoy, it's like 4 in the morning here in the UK so give my story at try, so I have something nice to wake up t in the heat of these summer days. Thank You xx (tumblr, isunshinegunpowder)**

Happy and Toby had agreed to take Ralph for the evening whilst Paige stayed at Walter's bedside in the hospital, and although it had been a long day the pair were both delighted to be able to spend time with the young boy.

Neither Toby nor Happy ever spent much time alone with Ralph, but he adored them as they were some of the only adults he had ever met that truly understood his mind.

Paige gave Toby the keys to her car, which he was glad of because Happy's driving skills were less than reassuring, and she told him to take Ralph back to her apartment so he could sleep in his own bed after an extremely tiring and stressful day. The journey back remained silent for the first few minutes as Ralph drifted to sleep in the back, his slumber only provided him with brief relief as his mind worked over the events of the day.

Toby looked over to Happy as she leaned her elbow on the door and rested her weary head on her hand, he could see that her eyelids were heavy with sleep. But as always Happy subconsciously refused to show any weakness, even the fact that she was tired, so she began biting the nails of her free hand to keep her awake.

He loved the way she looked even in the harsh light of the street lamps that flickered past the car windows- her hair may have been greasy from the stress of the traumatic day, and she had smudges of dirt on her forehead- but to him she looked beautiful.

As he pulled to a stop at an intersection he lifted his hand to his mouth, wetted his thumb with saliva and reached over to Happy's forehead to wipe off the soil mark. Although she was fatigued her reflexes were still sharp and she grabbed Toby's wrist before he could touch her.

She didn't speak but instead glared at Toby, questioning his actions, and her eyes met his. Her gaze softened as she saw his expression, although his intentions were usually questionable she realised that he was just offering her kindness. She slowly let his wrist go and nodded subtly to him.

Toby lifted his hand further towards her face, maintaining eye contact with her, he placed his fingers softly on her cheek and used his thumb to gently wipe the mark of her forehead. His hand maintaining contact with her face possibly longer than necessary but he enjoyed the feel of her delicate skin on the rough pads of his fingers.

Although the contact only lasted a few seconds the warmth within Toby's simple action was acknowledged by Happy as she blinked briefly in appreciation.

After their tender moment Toby's eyes returned to the dark road in front of him and Happy glanced back towards her gnawed nails. Her pale complexion momentarily flushed with the acknowledgment of the tender few seconds between the pair.

Toby eased the car forward as the lights in front of him change to green, a small smirk could be seen on his face as he replayed the events in his head, and he remembered the way that Happy's skin felt beneath his touch.

He could only imagine what the rest of her felt like. Was the skin on her neck as smooth and firm? Did she always carry the scent of violet mixed with an elusive smell of metal and burning? Was her hair as soft as it always looked?

His mind often wandered to the subtleties of Happy's body, often it was just thoughts of her skin or voice but every now and then he did ponder what she would be like to hold in the writhes of pleasure as they made love. These thoughts filled his mind as he drove the final few miles back to Paige's apartment in the suburbs.

After a short drive the trio arrived at the apartment, and the absence of white noise from the car's engine woke Ralph from his slumber and he murmured to Happy as she opened his car door. Happy ruffled the boy's messy hair as he stepped wearily out of the car.

"Bedtime?" he muttered to Toby as he passed him in the front porch of the ground floor apartment.

"I'm afraid so Ralph" he replied to the young boy who was leant against the wall as he awaited the opening of the front door.

Toby pulled the keys from his pocket ad opened the door to the apartment, after eyeing Ralph's crumpled t-shirt and messy hair he called after the young boy as he trundled towards his bedroom.

"I'll run the bath for you Ralph, you need one before you go to bed otherwise your Mum will kill me tomorrow"

Without stopping or looking towards Toby he nodded his head in reply. Toby smiled at how tired the young boy appeared and headed towards the bathroom to run a bath for him. He wasn't an expert in children at all but he could easily relate to Ralph and felt comfortable around him.

He heard Happy rustling around in the front room and decided to go and find her after he started the water for Ralph's bath.

After a few minutes Toby had filled the bath to a mild temperature and added a squirt of bubble bath from the side. He called Ralph from his bedroom and assumed that the intelligent young boy would manage to find his way to the bath.

He found Happy not in the living room, but in Paige's kitchen, and she was rummaging around in the cupboard. She appeared within a few seconds, aware that Toby was near as he had walked with heavy footsteps through the kitchen. She had in her hand a bottle of wine.

She looked sheepishly up to Toby and then back down to the bottle of wine. She opened her mouth as to offer an explanation at the thought of consuming alcohol so late into the night. However Toby cut her off, simply offering a sentence.

"Good idea, I'll get the glasses" he said as he nodded towards the wine.

It had a been a long day for the team, and very tiring, both emotionally and physically; despite this, Toby did not feel like going to sleep, and he betted that Happy felt the same. The events of the day kept running through his mind, the near death experience of one of his closest and dearest friends meant that he did not feel like closing his eyes, scared that his thoughts would catch up with him. Perhaps a glass of wine would help him to relax and it would also allow Happy to unwind.

Although they were looking after Ralph for the evening, they were grown adults and knew that they wouldn't get drunk at all, aware of the pain Paige would inflict on them if she knew that her son was in any danger.

Toby passed two wine glasses over to Happy and she poured a small amount out for both of them, then passed one back to Toby. Toby held his glass out towards Happy and she reluctantly copied this action, still weary of her emotions around Toby especially considering their history.

She had never been anywhere alone with him and feeling this vulnerable and tired before, she knew in her mind that Toby was a good guy but she still did not have complete faith in him and his intentions since their failed date a few weeks ago.

However this evening he was simply just acting like a relieved friend, someone who was glad that everyone he loved had managed to survive the day. With this thought in mind she clinked her glass with his, smiling slightly at him before glancing shyly back towards her glass.

There had been few words between the pair that evening but they rarely needed words to communicate with each other, even at work Toby knew what Happy was feeling. Toby was a psychiatrist but he understood Happy in ways he had never understood anyone else ever before, the way her mind worked amazed him greatly, and as he had told her before she was also 'wrapped in a nice little package'.

Her size did not portray the vastness of her personality. She was violent at the best of times, she hardly showed emotion and she had severe trust issues, but that made her all the more perfect to Toby. Whenever he managed to break down just a tiny bit of the wall she had put up around herself since childhood he swore he was the happiest man alive. If only he could get the words out to tell her and if only she wouldn't hit him for it…

After taking a few silent sips from his glass Toby rose from the sofa and headed towards the bathroom, ready to make sure Ralph had finished his bath. He knocked on the bathroom door but got no reply, he tried again but there was still no answer.

He poked his head round the bathroom door, half expecting that the young boy may have fallen asleep in the bath. However Toby was mistaken, the bath was empty and the bathwater remained untouched, the surface still piled high with bath bubbles. Obviously Ralph had forgotten about having to wash.

Toby headed towards Ralph's bedroom at the back of the apartment, he called out softly to the young boy and pushed his door open. Unsure whether Ralph would still be awake he was surprised by the sight that met his eyes.

Ralph was sat in his bed, still fully dressed, but bent over double with his head in a large hard-backed book. He was crunched over in a weird position, he'd obviously fallen asleep whilst reading a book, and his exhaustion had overtaken his thirst for knowledge at that point.

He looked uncomfortable but adorable, he was still in his dirty clothes, his hair was still stuck up in various points but he was peaceful and he had found solace in a much needed deep sleep. Toby watched Ralph sleep for a few more minutes, feeling very amused about how he had drifted off.

Toby was disturbed from watching Ralph as Happy placed a hand on his back, he turned is head to look at her. In her free hand she was holding her wine glass, which looked like it had been refilled, as it was fuller than before. He whispered to Happy.

"Look at him Happy, he fell asleep reading a book. He didn't even have a bath or get changed. He truly is a special person don't you think?" he smiled towards the young boy, seeing a piece of his younger self within Ralph.

Happy hummed then nodded silently, Ralph did look very cute indeed, and seeing Toby look so content with such a simple thing made her feel warm inside. Although she would never admit that anything Toby did made her feel happy. As the pair stood shoulder to shoulder within the young boy's doorway, he began to murmur in his sleep, sensing that someone was near.

Ralph's head lifted from within the book and his neck straightened out. His eyes flickered open and adjusted to the light before focusing on Toby and Happy stood just metres from his bed. Toby whispered to him.

"Hello Buddy'

"Hello Toby, I forgot to have a bath didn't I?" asked Ralph innocently

"Yes you did Ralph, but never mind now it's gone cold. Let's just get you into your pyjamas so you can go to sleep properly. They're out on the bedside table for you, so just leave your dirty clothes in the laundry basket, put your book away and we'll check on you in a minute buddy, okay?"

Toby helped take the book from the exhausted boy's lap, and lifted him off the bed as his legs and back were stiff from his sleeping position. He glanced at the book on the bed, it was a medical encyclopaedia open to a section on internal injuries. Obviously Ralph's trip to the hospital had inspired him to take up a new topic of reading, not to Toby's surprise.

After leaving Ralph alone for the night Toby and Happy headed back to the living room and sat back down on the sofa. Happy had finished her second glass of wine whilst Toby had barely started his first. After flicking to the local news Happy glanced over to Toby sat opposite her.

With the events of the day not quite as fresh in her mind and the warmth from the knowledge that Ralph was asleep and Toby was near Happy felt content. Ralph's brave face and courage in the face of adversity that day had made her respect the young boy a great deal more. Unable to fully control her normal persona of letting as little emotion as possible show with the two glasses of wine she had consumed, she stated a single sentence to Toby.

"I'd like kids one day I think"

Toby nodded at her and smiled gently, glad that Happy felt that she could share something like that with him, even if it did take half a bottle of wine for her to get there. It was just too bad she was so blunt and violent normally, however Toby took the opportunity to bond with her.

"Me too Happy. Me too."

 **TBC, thanks for any comments or criticism. xx**


	2. Tender Moments

**Thanks for reading, please review as it's really helpful and satisfying. Xx Lott**

After their very brief conversation about wanting children, Happy and Toby settled down for a long night in front of Paige's TV, neither of them having the will to pull their weary bodies to the nearest bed. Happy flicked through the channels on the screen in a daze, finally settling on a re-run of 'Junkyard Wars' on one of the more obscure networks.

Toby knew that anything with machines kept Happy content so he didn't debate her choice, even though he'd rather be watching the news-since a young boy he'd been almost obsessed with what was going on in the world around him.

It was about 10pm, and after 2 whole episodes of Junkyard Challenge the near silence between the pair was broken by the rumble of thunder outside the living room window, the noise reverberated through the apartment block. It hardly ever rained in Los Angeles, but a humid few summer weeks meant the air was very moist and the clouds were holding a significant amount of water. In the time Toby had lived in LA, he had only seem two storms, so the sound of thunder surprised him.

What surprised him even more was Happy's reaction to the apparent start of a storm, having been almost enthralled with the TV programme she now looked disturbed by the sounds outside of the window. Toby couldn't ever imagine her being afraid of anything, let alone a storm, but he knew that Happy had secrets that he would never find the answer to.

The rain followed shortly after, coming down quite heavily, moistening the dry Californian soil across the valleys surrounding Los Angeles. Toby rose off the sofa, eyeing Happy's demeanour as he stood up, he made his way over to the front window and peeked through the curtain to watch the rain come down. It was steady, but every few seconds there was a spark of lightning that lit up the dark clouds overhead.

Toby watched the thunder for a few minutes, for him the rain and darkness offered him solace, and had done since he was a teenager. For him the sound of rain was comforting, it reminded him of his childhood, before his mother started to show symptoms of her bipolar disorder. One of his most vivid memories as a child was his mother comforting him during a thunderstorm, out of all his memories this was the only one that made him happy.

He glanced towards the sofa where Happy was still sat as another wave of thunder broke just above them. She was no longer watching the TV screen but instead she was playing rather nervously with the zip on her jacket, pulling in back and forth in a manner which suggested both frustration and worry. She did not notice that Toby was watching her, a trait unusual for Happy because she was normally very aware of her surroundings.

Toby decided to take the plunge and question Happy's unusual behaviour, even with the worry that a question that delved into her current emotions would upset her.

"Happy. You look a little worried." He stated, maybe the alcohol she had consumed earlier would allow her to open up to Toby.

"Mmhhm" she replied calmly, not actually speaking to Toby. However this worried him even more, she hardly ever stayed this silent when he questioned her feelings.

"Come on Happy, it's been a long day…" his comment was interrupted by another roar of thunder overhead, and by a noise that followed. The noise came from Happy, almost as a squeak and her eyes widened at the sound of the thunder above.

Finally Toby fully understood her seemingly fidgety behaviour. She was scared of the thunder. Although surprised, and slightly humoured by the fact that a woman as violent and tough as Happy could be scared by such a simple thing, he didn't voice his amusement. Instead, feeling vulnerable himself he made his way over to Happy who had now clenched her fists around the metal of her zip.

She did not shift or even acknowledge his movement, she simply sat in her slightly crouched position, clutching her jacket, looking almost like a child afraid to face their phobia. Toby sat down next to Happy, much closer than before. The side of their thighs were now touching and Toby could feel the warmth of Happy through his jeans. He placed his hand over the top of her clenched fist to the left. He laced his fingers between her slender ones to try and release the gip of her hand.

She responded to this contact, but not in her usual demeanour. Although Toby's questioning hand been met with some resistance she had recognised his true concern for her as he touched her fist. Moving her gaze back from her zip up to Toby's eyes she opened her mouth to explain herself.

"You don't have to get all touchy-feely-psychiatristy on me Tobs. Yes I'm scared of thunder and lightning, but only because I never really had any parents like you did, there was no one to ever comfort me during the night if there was a storm. So yes, my fear of thunder; which will never be revealed to anyone outside this room, does stem from dark childhood pain. But I will not allow you to analyse it any further. Just sit with me and shut up."

Toby was surprised with Happy's words but not by her tone. He had pried into her mind and held her hand unnecessarily. She was Happy, so she explained with herself without letting out too much information.

He nodded in reply. He had broken down just a tiny bit of the wall she had put up to protect herself from any pain, and he was delighted. He then decided to stay with Happy until the end of the storm, and not to question her phobia any more.

With her hand now palm up in his, both resting on Happy's thigh she relaxed slightly, allowing a long held breath to escape her lungs. His simple thought of just a reassuring hand made her feel safe, something she had not felt for quite a long time. Toby held her hand in his, and began to make slow circles on her palm with his thumb, trying to sooth her worries.

For Happy it had been an eventful few months, having been rescued from a life of solitude by Walter, finally picking up the courage to contact her Dad and the tumultuous relationship with Toby, she was mentally exhausted. But she was content with the life she was making for herself within the family that was Scorpion.

Although her relationship with Toby was difficult at the best of times, she appreciated the constancy he had brought to her life, although she would never admit it. She had a tough exterior, and most of her mind was filled with bad memories and worries but she did have emotions, to many people's disbelief.

But Toby was someone who was rarely fazed by her violent outbursts and lack of real emotion, instead he valued it as a virtue of her personality. Often her internal monologue was the only thing that reminded her she was human and not a machine. Toby treated her like a human, like she'd always deserved to be treated. If only she could relay to him her feelings.

The only way she could think of showing him what she felt, was to allow him further beyond her tough exterior. The wine from earlier on made it easier for her to accomplish such an enormous task. She was not used to revealing her emotions.

"Thank you Toby" she muttered into the silence between them. By that point the thunder had almost stopped, and with Toby's proximity, Happy felt more at ease.

Toby knew that for Happy, saying those three words was a struggle. He knew that she viewed her feelings as something that was bad. He didn't blame her, she had been hurt enough times in the past not to trust anyone but herself. But he was determined not to hurt her, he was determined to become the person in her life that provided her with the stability that she needed to flourish.

"Noted" he whispered as he squeezed her hand a little tighter.

Happy sank back into the sofa after their brief but meaningful exchange of words, Toby' hand still clasped around hers. Her eyelids flicked down as her head hit the back cushion, with the weight of her feelings for Toby lifted slightly she allowed herself to succumb to the slumber that had been waiting for her all day.

It took Happy only minutes to fall asleep, her breaths slowing and a small smile forming on her face as she drifted off. Toby watched her, taking note of the gentle snore that escaped her nostrils, and the way that pesky curl of hair settled on her forehead,

He himself felt the call of slumber as the now gentle rainfall and murmur of the TV calmed his mind. He leaned back into the sofa next to Happy, careful not to nudge her awake in the process. He shifted his body further into the chair so his head was level with Happy's.

With the final bit of courage left over from his talk with Happy he lent over her body and pulled her closer to him, so that their shoulders were touching. Happy's held rested gently into the crook of his neck and moments before he allowed his eyelids to drop he placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. Safe in the knowledge she was asleep he relished in the scent of her hair and the proximity of his body to hers.

With the thought of Walter safe, Ralph tucked up in bed and the fact that he was nestled nicely next to the woman he was sure he loved he drifted into a deep sleep.

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I tried to make it as in character as possible, whilst allowing a softer side of Happy to show. Any reviews are much appreciated, especially in such a tight knit fandom. Xx**


End file.
